Container with corner posts



Se t. 12, 1967 P. R. SELTMAN 3,341,106

CONTAINER WITH CORNER POSTS Filed on. 18, 1965 INVENTOR FIG. 3 PAUL R. SELTMAN ATTORN EYS United States Patent 3,341,106 CONTAINER WITH CORNER POSTS Paul R. Seltman, Florence, Ky., assignor to Crescent Paper Tube Company, Inc., Florence, Ky., a corporation of Kentucky Filed Oct. 18, 1965, Ser. No. 496,977

r 1 Claim. (Cl. 229-49) This invention relates to a support structure for use in a container or the like and, more particularly, to the construction of an arcuate or curved corner post for supporting the walls of a container or the like.

Containers made of light weight material such as cardboard, for example, and especially collapsible containers, require additional support to maintain the walls of the container in the desired relationship. The support structures are particularly useful when containers are to be stacked in vertical relation on top of each other.

Various types of corner post structures have been employed for supporting the Walls of containers. The prior corner post supports have either utilized material of heavy weight in comparison with the weight of the container or have employed shapes, which utilize more of the space of the container than desired. The present invention eliminates the foregoing problems by providing a light weight arcuate or curved corner post, which utilizes a minimum amount of space in the corner of the container in which the corner post is disposed.

The prior corner posts have been formed of various geometrical shapes, which are expensive to produce. The present invention overcomes this problem by using an arcuate or curved shape, which is preferably semicylindrical, that may be quickly and inexpensively produced.

Some of the prior corner posts have required permanent attachment to the walls of the container whereby the costs of the finished container have been increased. The corner post of the present invention eliminates the need of any permanent attachment to the container whereby the cost of the finished container is reduced.

An object of this invention is to provide an arcuate or curved corner post for use with a container or the like.

Another object of this invention is to provide a semicylindrical corner post, which is inexpensively formed.

Other objects, uses, and advantages of this invention are apparent upon a reading of this description, which proceeds with reference to the drawing forming part thereof and wherein:

'FIG. 1 is a perspective View of a hollow cylindrical member from which two corner posts of the present invention are formed.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the structure of FIG. 1 formed into two corner posts.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a container with the corner posts of the present invention disposed therein.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view, partly in plan, of a portion of the structure of FIG. 3 and taken along the line 44 of FIG. 3.

Referring to the drawing and particularly FIG. 1, there is shown a hollow cylindrical member 10. The member is preferably formed of card-board although it may be formed of any other suitable material, which is light weight and capable of providing support to the walls of a container.

As shown in FIG. 2, the hollow cylindrical member 10 is divided into two semi-cylindrical port-ions '12 and 14 by cutting the hollow cylindrical member 10 along its length at diametrically opposed portions. Each of the semi-cylindrical portions '12 and 14 forms a corner post for supporting the vertical walls of a container. Each of the portions 12 and 14 has a concave surface 16 and a convex surface 18.

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Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, there is shown a container 20 having a plurality of connected vertical walls 22, 24, 26, and 28 forming a rectangular cross section. The lower end of the container 20 is closed by a bottom 30. The container 20 is preferably formed of a light weight material such as cardboard, for example.

A semi-cylindrical corner post '32 is disposed in the corner formed by the walls 22 and 24. A semi-cylindrical corner post 34 is positioned in the corner formed by the walls 24 and 26. A semi-cylindrical corner post 36 is located in the corner formed by the walls 26 and 28. A semi-cylindrical corner post 38 is placed in the corner formed by the walls 22 and 28.

As shown in FIG. 4, the corner post 32 is positioned with its concave surface 16 facing away from the corner formed by the walls 22 and 24 of the container 20 and towards the interior of the container 20. The corner post 32 has its convex surface 18 in contact with each of the walls 22 and 24, but the convex surface 18 is spaced from the corner formed by the walls 22 and 24.

Since the corner post 32 tends to maintain its semicylindrical shape, it engages with the walls 22 and 24, which form the corner in which the corner post 32 is disposed. Accordingly, this pressure engagement between the walls 22 and 24 and the convex surface 18 of the corner post 32 eliminates the necessity of securing the corner post 32 to the walls 22 and 24. Likewise, it is not necessary to secure the corner posts 34, 36, and 38 to the Walls of the container 20 to maintain them in position. Thus, the corner posts may be easily and quickly positioned within the container '20. Of course, the corner post could be secured to the walls of the container 20 by suitable means such as glue, for example, if desired.

The length of each of the corner posts 32, 34, 36, and 3 8 is preferably the same as the height of the vertical walls 22, 24, 26, and 28 of the container 20. However, it should be understood that the corner posts do not have to be exactly the same height as the walls of the container but could be slightly less if desired.

While the container 20 has been shown as rectangular in cross section, it should be understood that the corner post of the present invention may be used with a container having any polygonal cross section. Of course, there will be a greater engaging or binding relation between the walls of the corner and the convex surface 18 of the corner post when the vertical Walls are at an angle of less than to each other. Similarly, there will be less pressure or binding effect between the corner post and the walls of the corner When the vertical walls are at an angle greater than 90 to each other.

While the corner posts have been illustrated as being semi-cylindrical, it should be understood that the ends of the corner posts extending away from the Walls of the corner beyond the portions in contact with the walls could be eliminated if desired. Of course, the reduction would depend upon the angular relationship to each other of the two walls forming the corner.

Although the corner posts have been illustrated as being originally formed from a hollow cylindrical member, it should be understood that the corner posts could be formed from semi-cylindrical blanks and, thus, eliminate the hollow cylindrical member 10. If desired, the corner posts concave surface 16, which is exposed to the interior of the container 20, may be coated with paraflin, velvet, special paper, or any other material for protecting the articles placed Within the container 20.

An advantage of this invention is that corner posts for supporting a container may be quickly formed. Another advantage of this invention is that the corner post is relatively inexpensive. A further advantage of this invention is that the corner post occupies a minimum of space in the corner of the container, which it is supporting. A still further advantage of this invention is that the corner posts may be quickly positioned within the container.

For purposes of exemplification, a particular embodiment of the invention has been shown and described according to the best present understanding thereof. HOW- ever, it will be apparent that changes and modifications in the arrangement and construction of the parts thereof may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

A container having substantially vertical walls and being polygonal in cross section, said container having a plurality of corners, a bottom closing the lower end of said Container, a corner post disposed within said container in bridging relation with each of said corners and coextensive therewith, each of said corner posts comprising a semi-cylindrical member having free longitudinal edges: said semi-cylindrical member having its concave surface facing away from said vertical walls forming a corner of said container, said semi-cylindrical member having its convex surface spaced from said corner of said container, and the convex surface of said semi-cylindrical member tangentially engaging and secured to each of said vertical walls adjacent said corner of said container, and said free longitudinal edges extending into the interior of the container in spaced relation to an adjacent wall.

References Cited GEORGE O. RALSTON, Examiner.

D. F. NORTON, Assistant Examiner. 

